Gunstar Heroes Virtual Console Review

Explosions. Lots and lots of explosions.

You're one of two kinds of people. You've either never played Gunstar Heroes before (one) or (two) it's one of your all-time favorite hyperactive action shooter platformers ever. No third option, no middle ground. To play Gunstar is to love it &#Array; it's the best Genesis game to hit the Wii VC so far.

It all began with Contra, the up-up-down-down master of many a gamer's old-school memories. Programmers who worked on the project in the '80s left Konami and went independent, forming Treasure in the '90s. That name you probably know &#Array; from modern systems' Ikaruga or Gradius V &#Array; but they got their start with Sega.

Gunstar Heroes was Treasure's first title, released in 1993 for the Genesis. It tells the story of twin brothers Red and Blue, gun-toting fighters forced to face their elder sibling Green in a technicolor dream match of bullets, bomb blasts and multi-modal mech suits.

The action is relentless. The screen is constantly flooded with enemies, ammunition both friendly and deadly keeping each environment awash in danger. You face this onslaught alone or with a friend in a two-player simultaneous co-op mode, each of you choosing your fighting style and initial weapon before jumping into the fray. Free Shot allows for movement while firing. Fixed Shot gives you eight-way directional control, but keeps your feet locked to the floor while you let fly your ordnance.

The arsenal is varied as well, built on four core types of weaponry &#Array; a lightning blaster, a flamethrower, a homing shot and a machine gun. Each has its strengths and weaknesses, but you're not restricted to just one. Item drops in levels allow you to mix and match, switching between two of the four, or you can combine them for a more powerful version of both. Fuse two lightnings for incredibly powerful bolts, or combine the fire shooter and heatseeking chaser for a Flaming Homer.

The pace and speed of the gameplay is nearly unrivaled by other titles of the 16-bit era, and the boss battles are a fantastic challenge. Its graphics pushed the Genesis hardware to and beyond its limits, with unheard-of effects employed on the game's title screen and in every action level. Gunstar Heroes deserves high praise, because it represents one of the best aspects of the Wii Virtual Console &#Array; it's a great game from a bygone era that a lot of people missed, and it now has a chance to be discovered and enjoyed by a whole new audience. If you missed out on Gunstar Heroes in the '90s, it's time to make things right. You're one of two kinds of people &#Array; and you'd rather be a two.

The Verdict

Gunstar Heroes has been re-released since its initial debut, first in a port to the portable Sega Game Gear system and then to the PS2 in a collection called Treasure Box &#Array; but that only came out in Japan. This Virtual Console release, then, is the first chance American gamers have had to grab the game since its original Genesis days. Action fans, especially those with a friend to play co-op with, shouldn't wait. Download now.